The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, led by the Space Studies Board in collaboration with other Earth Science related boards (Board on Atmospheric Science and Climate, Board on Earth Science and Resources, Ocean Studies Board, Polar Research Board, Water Science and Technology Board), will organize a “decadal survey” that will generate consensus recommendations from the environmental monitoring and Earth science and applications community on an integrated and sustainable approach to the conduct of the U.S. government’s civilian space-based Earth-system science programs. These programs are carried out predominantly by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the United States Geological Survey (USGS), with supporting and complementary contributions from agencies including the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Energy (DoE), and Department of Defense (DoD).

Selected Sources of Key Questions and Challenges for Earth System Science Several community-based and interagency efforts have developed lists of key questions similar to that developed by the 2007 decadal survey. They include: